Harry Potter and Grendel
by BBlue269
Summary: This is a story that I did for a history class. We were studying the epic poem Beowulf, so I decided to turn Harry into Beowulf and Hogwarts into the Herot. *Complete*
1. Preface

Preface  
It had been five years since Harry Potter had graduated from Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. After graduating he attended the Wizarding College at Oxford University, which was renowned for the high percentage of its population that continued on to be aurors, (The wizarding equivalent of the special forces division of the FBI). After having defeated Lord Voldermort, the greatest evil that the wizarding world had ever seen, during his seventh year at Hogwarts, Harry was a shoo in. Harry's best friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley had also become aurors, the three of them were an unstoppable force. They still held ties to the educational institution of their youth, and would do anything to help its Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore. 


	2. Chapter 1

1  
It was a dark and severe night. The trio of magical warriors sailed through the restless wind of a storm. Harry Potter led the way. These warriors were on a quest. They had heard a rumor of trouble at Hogwarts, a place they had sworn to keep safe. The rumor told of missing children and the deaths of many, so they set off, determined to make sure that this terrible rumor was not true. They owed it to their old Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore was one of the most powerful wizards of his time, but his power was dwindling, he had grown too old. He was so old, in fact, that no one actually knew how old he was. So in order to make sure that Dumbledore and his beloved Hogwarts were safe, he and his comrades in arms were on a quest through a raging storm on their broom sticks. 


	3. Chapter 2

2  
Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasely touched down somewhat roughly just outside the main gates of Hogwarts. The storm had settled down just a little bit. Harry approached the gates to find them locked and heavily warded, but he saw a figure walking nearby and yelled "You there, please come let us in!"  
Mr. Filtch the groundskeeper of Hogwarts did not seem pleased to see uninvited visitors standing just out side "his" gates. He billowed at them, "Go away you are not wanted here."  
Harry Potter however was not going to take no for an answer. He and his comrades began to take down the wards on the gate. "We are coming in whether you like it or not Mr. Filtch," he yelled back.  
"No! Stop there! Don't do that! How did you know my name?!" Mr. Filtch yelled urgently as he ran to the gate.  
Pulling back the hood of his cloak so that a slightly out of breath Mr. Filtch could see him, he stated "It's Harry Potter. I have come after hearing rumors of trouble here at Hogwarts. We would like to see Dumbledore."  
Recognition dawned immediately on Filtch's horrible unshaven face. "Alright then, I suppose Dumbledore will want to see you," he stated gruffly. He then admitted the trio onto school property after making sure that Hermione and Ron were indeed Harry's comrades.  
"Thank you," Harry said shortly, and then began to sweep silently towards the castle. 


	4. Chapter 3

3  
Dumbledore greeted Harry as he, Ron and Hermione entered the entrance hall. Dumbledore had always seemed to have a mildly omniscient quality about him. He lead the trio into the Great Hall to join the school in a hearty dinner. The mood of the room was decidedly somber. Harry knew at once that the rumors had been true. Some great and ancient evil was terrorizing Hogwarts and he knew that he must stop it.  
After walking a short way to the head table where the trio was to dine with Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall (his right hand woman), Severus Snape (the mean tempered potions master who acted as Dumbledore's surrogate son), and the rest of the Hogwarts teaching staff.  
"Thank you Harry for coming to my aid once again. I wish that you were here under better circumstances but I am glad to have your help with this dire matter," Dumbledore said conversationally.  
"I am glad to be here to assist you Albus but I am still not sure exactly what the problem is that is plaguing Hogwarts." Harry began.  
"Nor am I," Dumbledore interjected, "I am hoping that we can figure that out together. All I know is that whatever it is comes in the night, often with bad weather and plucks the children right from their beds never to be seen again."  
"But you must have some idea Albus," Hermione brought herself into the conversation.  
"Well." Dumbledore started unsure of himself, "we can be sure that whatever it is that is taking the children is not human. It lurks in dark corners and always manages to escape before anyone realizes it is there."  
"We will find out what it is and stop it," said Harry sounding more sure of himself than he really felt.  
Harry was going to continue, and discuss his plan with Dumbledore when all of a sudden Snape cut him off. "Well Harry what makes you so confidant that you will be able to help us with our monster problem. As far as I remember you weren't even able to dive down to the bottom of the lake without stealing gillyweed from my personal stores."  
"Actually Snape, I did not steal from your stores, the gillyweed was brought to me by a friend. And as you should be well aware, I not only rescued one hostage from the bottom of the lake, I rescued two. One of whom wasn't even mine to save," Harry proclaimed, proudly recalling the tale. "Besides Snape what have you ever done anyway, besides being a filthy turncoat?"  
Snape was seething, but Dumbledore gave both men a look that said he wouldn't be putting up with any more of their foolishness. "Well friends, I believe it is time to escort the children back to their common rooms for the night," he stated resolutely.  
Those sitting around him nodded their assent and stood to help herd the children to their rooms. As they walked the air buzzed with an energy that could only mean that something dangerous was coming. 


	5. Chapter 4

4  
Harry, Hermione and Ron walked back from the Gryffindor common room back towards the entrance hall to stand guard for the night. Upon arriving they decided to sit down and get some rest. While they sat Mrs. Norris, the grounds keepers cat whose disposition was always foul, came to join them in their watch. The trio had never particularly cared for the cat because she had a habit of snitching out their whereabouts to Mr. Filtch back in their school days. Hermione, Ron, and Mrs. Norris eventually drifted off to sleep but Harry stayed awake, staring into space consumed by the input coming to his senses. As Harry listened he slowly became aware of a soft rumbling somewhere in the distance.  
Harry sat perfectly still as the rumbling drew nearer but held his hand tightly around his wand. Harry didn't even flinch when the doors of the entrance hall burst open with a swish. And when the creature who had made this grand entrance picked up Mrs. Norris and tossed her into its gaping mouth, Harry still did not move. As Harry watched he began recognizing the creature Grendel who was said in the old myths to live in the great lake just outside the castles building. As Grendel began to reach towards Hermione and Ron, Harry raised his arm quickly and cast a spell. "Expelliarmus!" Harry shouted. This spell was a classic disarming spell, it was meant to take away the weapons of whomever it was cast upon. Seeing as, however, that Grendel was not carrying any weapons, the spell instead worked to free Grendel's arm from the body that was controlling it. Harry held his wand steady, fighting to make the spell finish its intended purpose, and after concentrating very hard against a struggling Grendel, the spell worked. Grendel's arm now lay just inches from the feet of a very startled Hermione and Ron who had woken up midway through the attack.  
Grendel who was stunned and oozing blood from his now empty shoulder socket turned and bolted out the door as fast as his feet could carry him. Meanwhile, people were beginning to arrive at the top of the entrance hall stairs, awakened by the screams of pain Grendel had omitted as his arm was torn off. Dumbledore was the first to arrive. "It seems that the monster that has been terrorizing us for the past few months has left something behind as a parting gift. I don't think that we will be seeing him again anytime soon" Dumbledore stated neutrally then continued more jovially, "Thank you Harry, Hermione and Ron, we will now be able to sleep without fearing what may be lurking in the dark. Thank you!"  
"It was our honor to help out this fine fortress," Harry replied, "and none of this could have happened without fate on our side."  
"Well said Harry!" Ron announced.  
"I think now it is time that we all get a good sleep. We can celebrate tomorrow," Hermione said tiredly.  
But just as Dumbledore turned to show Harry Ron and Hermione where they could sleep more comfortably for the night Minerva McGonagall rushed in saying breathlessly, "Wait! Albus, wait! You forgot to bestow a gift on the valiant hero that has saved us from Grendel." As she spoke she held out a jeweled sword that Harry recognized immediately.  
"Thank you Minerva, you are quite right," Dumbledore said.  
McGonagall turned to Harry and held out the sword to him, "This Harry, as you should know is Godric Gryffindor's sword. It is a great honor to possess this sword. Use it wisely and allow it to guide you with your leadership in days to come."  
"Thank you," Harry said to Dumbledore and McGonagall, "I will take good care of it." 


	6. Chapter 5

5  
Harry lay fast asleep in his bed. He didn't even hear the steady thumping approaching Hogwarts again. In the entrance hall remained Professors Flitwick, Trelawney, Snape and Vector cleaning up the blood that Grendel had left behind. They didn't hear the rumbling sound approaching the entrance hall either. The doors to the hall flung open again, and between them stood a female creature that was slightly smaller than Grendel, his mother. Professor Flitwick stood mere feet away from the door way that Grendel's mom made her appearance in. As comprehension dawned on Flitwick's face he stood unable to move consumed by fear. He didn't even realize she had reached for him until he was midway to her mouth. Flitwick screamed in fear, but the screaming quickly stopped as she swallowed him in one gulp. Grendel's mom grabbed frantically for Grendel's arm, dodging spells left and right. She grabbed it and ran from the castle.  
Harry awakened to the sounds of screams in the distance. He pulled on his cloak and ran to waken Hermione and Ron who hastily followed him back to the entrance hall once again. Upon arriving at the top of the stairs Harry noted the distraught face on Dumbledore's face, he looked like he would break into tears at any moment.  
"What has happened Albus?" Hermione asked urgently as the trio approached him.  
"It seems that Grendel's mother was not pleased by her son bleeding to death and came back to claim his missing limb and to seek vengeance," Dumbledore stated solemnly.  
"Who were the casualties?" Ron questioned in a strong tone.  
"There was only one. Professor Flitwick, my good friend and trusted staff member. He will be sorely missed," Dumbledore said quivering ever so slightly.  
"Don't worry sir," Harry interjected, "I will go to make sure this never happens again." 


	7. Chapter 6

6  
Dumbledore hadn't even pretended to object to Harry's plan of going after Grendel's mom. He did, however, insist that Harry allow Professors Snape and Trelawney to accompany him, Hermione and Ron. By the first light of dawn, the quintet was ready to set out. Harry asked Snape to bring along some gillyweed in case there was a need to go underwater into the lake to find Grendel's mom. And so, they set out. It was easy to follow the bloody path that Grendel had left back to the lake, and as they reached it Harry realized that he would indeed need to go underwater to fight Grendel's mom.. Removing his shoes and socks Harry readied himself to go underwater. To his surprise he received no objects from his entourage of accompaniers. Snape silently handed Harry the gillyweed which would allow him to breath underwater, and Harry dove into the water after briefly asking Snape to take care of Hermione and Ron if he died.  
Harry had barely reached the lake floor when he saw Grendel's mom who tried to make a snatch at him. He narrowly escaped her grip and struggled to pull out his wand to curse her. No sooner had he done this, however, than he realized that his magic could not work underwater. He would have to rely on his own brute strength. Just then out of the corner of his eye he saw something shimmering on his belt. He soon realized what it was, Godric's sword, and pulled it free of its sheathing. With a new burst of confidence he stopped struggling to escape Grendel's mom and turned to wait for her to approach him. She did so quickly, and as she did, he reared back to swing the sword as hard as he could towards her head. It worked. The next thing Harry knew Grendel's mom floated before him, decapitated. Harry was astonished, but instead of hanging around, he seized her head and thrust it on his sword as proof of her death.  
Meanwhile, up on the shore the remaining four watched as blood rose to the surface of the water. "That means his certain death," Trelawney stated in near hysterics. She turned quickly to go back down to the castle. Snape looked at the water and then at Trelawney and decided that she was probably right and moved to follow her.  
Only Hermione and Ron were left, staring solemnly at the water, when all of a sudden they saw something rise out of the water, a head, on a sword, followed by Harry's head, he was alive! Hermione and Ron rushed into the water to meet him.  
"Harry, oh Harry, we feared you were dead! Thank you fate for keeping him safe for us," Hermione proclaimed.  
"Great job Harry," Ron said cheerily, clapping Harry on the back.  
The three friends walked together back to the castle, it was nearly lunch time and it was time to return to Hogwarts and prove once and for all that it was safe to fall asleep at night. 


	8. Epiloge

Epiloge  
That night there was a feast in the great hall to celebrate the victorious defeat of Grendel and his mother. Dumbledore made a long speech about bravery and how very proud he was to know Harry. And Dumbledore gave Harry a few more gifts out of gratefulness for the help Harry had given them. McGonagall had strictly put her foot down, however, when Dumbledore offered Harry Fawkes, Dumbledore's prized Phoenix, reminding Dumbledore that there are something that he must keep. She too praised Harry on being a strong leader. Dumbledore and McGonagall wished the trio good luck and sent them on their way, knowing that there were great things to come for Harry Potter. 


End file.
